Guyanese cricketers Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Gudakesh Motie and Shamar Joseph have all been named in the West Indies squad for the opening three One-Day Internationals against New Zealand, with home fans set to see four local players in maroon when the series bowls off at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) today announced a 15-member squad for the Guyana leg of the five-match ODI series, with the first three matches scheduled for July 11, 13 and 16 at Providence before the remaining two fixtures move to Barbados.
For Guyanese all-rounder Paul, the selection comes after he was recently drafted into the West Indies Test squad as reinforcement. He replaces all-rounder Shamar Springer, who withdrew from selection following the passing of his mother. CWI extended its condolences to Springer and his family.
Rutherford, Motie and fast bowler Shamar Joseph all retain their places in the squad, giving the host nation strong representation as the Caribbean side continues preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2027.
The only uncapped player in the squad is 19-year-old wrist spinner Vitel Lawes, who has earned his maiden senior call-up after an impressive ICC Under-19 World Cup campaign earlier this year. Lawes finished with 10 wickets and bowled the highest number of dot balls in the tournament, earning a place in the ICC Under-19 World Cup Team of the Tournament.
To aid his transition into international cricket, spin bowling coach Nikita Miller has been added to the team management unit for the Guyana leg of the series to continue working closely with the young leg-spinner.
Left-handed batter Shimron Hetmyer was unavailable after being granted a pre-approved No Objection Certificate (NOC) to honour his Major League Cricket commitments.
Despite those changes, the squad largely remains unchanged from the group that recently faced Sri Lanka in Jamaica.
Head coach Daren Sammy said every ODI leading up to the 2027 World Cup carries significant importance as the regional side seeks to build consistency.
“Every series we play from here on leading up to the 50 Over World Cup, we view them as must-win scenarios. The matches against New Zealand provide the best opportunity for us to continue our improvement as an ODI unit while winning more matches for the people of the Caribbean,” Sammy said.
He added that the inclusion of Lawes reflects the team’s long-term planning.
“The inclusion of Vitel Lawes is strategic as we continue our long-term vision of exposing players who can complement the team in conditions that best suit their skill sets.”
The West Indies squad is scheduled to assemble in Guyana on July 8 following the conclusion of the Test series against Sri Lanka in Antigua.
The squad is captained by Shai Hope and includes Ackeem Auguste, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Vitel Lawes, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford and Jayden Seales.
The opening ODI will be played on July 11 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, with the second and third matches following on July 13 and July 16. All three games are scheduled to begin at 2:30 pm Guyana time.
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